Those unforgettable days in education
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Those unforgettable days in education
https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/those-unforgettable-days-education-6
My first proper teaching job was in County Derry, Northern Ireland in the mid-1970s. It was a little Catholic secondary modern and the cane was quite rife - I found one in the desk left by another teacher. I was totally horrified and I just refused to give it. In winter time a lot of the kids took off - classes were empt. I said, “What’s going on?” They were out working in the potato fields. I said, “Why doesn’t the headmaster do anything about it?” It turned out he owned some of the fields.
He was in control of the school. I remember looking at the duty register and seeing the same surname appearing. I thought it was his name - but half his family were the teachers.
At the interview I’d made the mistake of saying I was a Catholic. I was, but I was lapsed - I hadn’t been to church since I was seven. When it came to doing the job, they said, “You can take RE,” but I hadn’t got a clue - I couldn’t do the prayers. I also went into RE lessons discussing abortion and the Pill, taking articles from Irish newspapers that said how many Irish girls were going over for abortions.
I don’t think that endeared me to the local priest. I was asked to leave, and I must admit I wasn’t too sorry to go.
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